Evaporator element



EvAPoRA'roR ELEMENT Filed Jan. 13, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3. o o o g@ v/jo o) .o o o o o o o o o o o e o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o. o o o o ,0 G .O 0 4 ,n

F/Q y 5% VENTORS BY I ATTORNEY May si, 1930. l GW, GAILET'AL 1,757,041-

EvAPoRAToR ELEnsN'xy Filed Ja'n. 13, 1927 "I ATTORNEY.

' 4 sheets-sheet 4l 120 exchange unit of the full `coil type.

Patented May 6,-

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CONNECTICUT, SSIGNORS TOIULIQR CORPORATION, OF BALTIIORI, MARYLAND,-

A. CORPORATION Ol' lIDELAWAB'E svaroaron L i appucatioa' mea January 1s, im. `aerial no. mosso.

This invention relates to an improvedk veyaporator element and in its broadest asl pects comprises a series arrangementof heat exchange units each consisting of a semi- 5 flat coil constructedof two plates superimposed one upon the other and joined together to form an absolute fluid tight union at their contacting surfaces. Y One of the. plates 1s pressed or stamped 4bi1- suitable dies or the like, to produce a continuous serpentine depression or groove, preferably semi-circular in cross-section, so that by attaching'a flat' plate to the flat face of the stamped plate, a

closed iiat coil is produced..

Such a construction as above outlined, can be quickly and cheaply produced of very Vlight material and yet possess great .strengt and rigidity and capable of performlng w1th maximum efliciency every function of a heat This unit is applicable'to many uses, but l in the present inst-ance`will be described in connection with an expander or evaporator element or low side. coil for-a refrigerating machine of the domestic or household type and thepreferred vand various means o a ssembling several of these units in a novel and eicient' manner, lwill be hereinafter described'in detail.`

v The obj ticular construction to the design of expand,-

er element herein shown and described, is

' to produce a quick ice maker andat .thej

same time 'provide proper refrigeration of the coolin chamber, ina most simple and economic manner. is 'a Averyiixn rtant factor -in the quantity production o 'do-4 mestic refrigerating plants and eliminates costly tube coils and othercomplicated expensive units, experts in @the construction and assembly of these elements? Another important feature rides inf-the-- aiict that by using a coil unit of the type in? assembled evaporator constructions as shown" there warb@ a com ieee and uninm si contact betweenfsei expander unit an the at bottom of the ice pans supported thereby, thus obtaining the maximum eciency of taining `all ofthe advantages 'of a fullicoil" unit andthe desirable 'eiects incident to the circuitous travel of the ,refrigerant through' sucha coil.

Another object is the. production of a unitof this type, whereby any number of said vunits may be conveniently assembled to increase or decrease the heat absorbing sur' face l,of the e1ement,-accordin tothe size and capacity of the refrigeratmg plant desired. Also said units can be arranged in" various ways-in accordance withtheparticular use in contemplation-.-

f The preferred embodiment of the inven- I tion is Aillustrated in the accompanying drawin in which I ig. 1 is a top plan view illustrating the contemplated arrangement of twounits to form an expander element as intended for a domestic refrigerator;

Fig. 2 is a front ele-vasen showing the manner of assembling and connecting the two units together, providing a space or comect ni'view, in adapting thisparcated, having a flat upper surface, 1n the 50 said expander umtand at the same time'rethrough partment'therebetween for the reception of the ice pans;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation; Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view on line AA Fig.1, of the two assembled units comprising the expander element;

Fi 5 and 6 are enlarged detailed views4 showing the preferred manner of providing for the pipe connections `betweenthe top plate of the lower unit and the bottom plate of ithe upper unit respectiveln and also the inlet and outlet connections to and from the expander element; j 'Fi '.f7 and 8 are t of Figs. 5' and 6 respectivel i Fig. v9.is a top plan view oi the grooved or corrugated plate yor unit, with the flat top ,plate-removed;and n Fig. 0 isa side elevation thereof;

Figs.v 11 and 12 illustratel in elevationand plan views, another means of bling .the

ceptacle, with the'necessary pipe connections op and bottom plan views y p for-the refrigerant theirs- .r. A

Fig. 13 shows a manner of assembling a number of the units in horizontal position,

clearly illustrating how the expander element f prises Fig. 16 is a transverse sectional view illustrating this alternative method of construction and assembly.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the improved unit, which forms a basis of the various arrangements herein described coma lower sheet 1 and an upper sheet 2 superimposed one upon ,the other as more clearly shown in Fig. 4. The' lower sheet 1 is corrugated in such a manner as to produce a .continuous serpentine groove 3. This groove isformed, preferably, from a flat sheet by\stamping or the like with suitable dies in any well known manner, producing a substantially corrugated sheet of the crosssection as shown in Fig..v 4. Superimposed upon this corrugated or grooved sheet 1 is the upper `flat sheet 2, one of the meeting faces of said sheets being coated previously thereto, with a thin layer of solder or the like.

35 assembled sheet-sf, resulting in the melting Heat and pressure is then applied to these of the solder and a perfect fluid tight union ofsaid sheets into a complete unit. To furthe` strengthen the structure the outer edges of the connected sheets 1 and 2 may be crim ed grs shcwnat 4 in the enlarged detailed view 1g. A, As hereinbefore stated this groove 3 is a continuous serpentine one, extending fromone end of the sheet to the other, providing for the uninterrupted passage of fluid therethrough during the use of the unit. it

there ore necessary to provide inlet and outlet connections for the admission and dislcharge of the liu'id passing through the groove or ooil3, and where very thin metal is used and in order to make a strong tight joint 'a special construction is necessary. In the present instancethe preferred method is illustrated in the enlargeddetailed views Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, Figs. 5 and 7 showing the inlet connection and Figs. 6 and 8 the outlet connection. In forming the inlet connection the flat top sheet 2 is pressed upwardly to proof a threaded angedmipple, secured place and clamped'. tothe raised portiony by' a lock nut orthe llike -7. Ifdesired a soft metal wvasherS may also be employedto 1nduce a raised portion 4. and then punched to provide an opening or hole 5 for the reception sure a tight joint, and in addition these fittings may alsobe soldered 1n place to complete the structure and further provide a fluid tight joint.

In forming the outlet connection, see Fig.

6, one end of the groove 3 in the plate 1 is' form an expander element, as shown in Figs.'

2, 3, 4 and 13, these inlet and outlet connections 4 and 9 are joined by a pipe or tube 11 threaded into the respective nipples 6 and 10.

The construction of the groovedsheet 1 is best shown in Figs. 9 and 10 clearly illustrating the continuous serpentine groove 3 and the enlarged downwardly pressed portion 9, formed at one end of the groove, and the associated pipe connection 10 hereinbefore referred to. This sheet 1 may also be provided with holes 12 for the reception of rivets or the like forming an additional means for fastening the plates'together, the flat top plate 2 likewise being provided with rivet holes registering with the holes 12.

As hereinbefore stated these units comprising the grooved plate 1 and the flat plate 2, with the necessary inlet and outlet connection, may be assembled in various ways to produce an expander element or low side coil for refrigerating machines.

The preferred arrangement is illustrated in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4, wherein two` units are positioned, one above the other, and maintained in s aced relation by a back plate 13 and end p ates 14, forming with Athe upper andl lower units, a box-like compartment or chamber forthe reception of the ice making pans 15, the front of said chamber being closed preferably by a hinged door or the like 16.

vBy reason of the fact that the top sheetI of the improved unit is perfectly flat, a complete and maximum contact is obtained between said unit and the flat bottoms of the .i'ce pans supported thereby. Also a hold over brine tank can be conveniently constructed on-the top of the upper unit by securing a relatively narrow upstanding strip 17 around the upper edge of said unit, forming a shallow tray to be closed with'a cover orthelike18. m-

Wit-h the'construction of expander element or low side, above outlined, the inlet connection Ato the upper unit is connected, through the necessaryexpansion valve (not shown), tothe conduit 194 leadingfffomV the compressor. VThe inlet connection--6 to fthe lower unit is connected through pipe 1-1 to the outlet connection 10 of the-upper.y .unitaml` the. said outlet connection 10 of the lower unit is connectedto the return line 20, best shown .in Fig; 3, so'that the refrigerant is caused to travel in a continuous'serpentine stream from end to end -of both units and thus suiiciently retardedto absorb the maximum amount off heat in proportion to the quantity of erant passin through said units.

Where lit 1s desired to employ more than refrigtwo of these units-in forming the expander element in large installations, the same can be assembled in a manner as shownin Fig. 13

and also this arrangement is applicable where.

a tall narrow element is necessary, in which instance the individual units vare made rela-v tively smaller. y.

In Figs. 11 and 12 a box-like arrangement is shown in elevation and plan respectively, wherein the units' are disposed vertically and'. secured together at their longitudinal edges, the rnecessary inlet. and outlet pipes 19 and 20 respectively, 'being provided, to.- gether with 'the unit coil connecting pipes 11', asclearly shown'in'said figures.

the flat sheet 2, an intermediate iat coil strip In some instances, 'when necessary to further insure a fluid tight coil, there may be interposed between the grooved sheet land 21, Figs. 14, 15 and 16, said strip being positioned over the groove 3 in the sheet 1 and then` soldered along its edges, after which formed substantially fiat plate-like heat ex change units superimposed one upon the other and rigidly secured one .to the otherin spaced relation, andconduits connecting thev respec- -tive units.

. 2. An expander element for refrigerating machines, comprising a series of individually formed -heat exchange units superimposed Y one upon the other and rigidly connected one to theiother in -spaced relation, each of said i ous` fluid tight assageway between said units consisting of a grooved plate and a flat plate secured together to/produce a continuplates and means or connecting the passage- -ways of therespective units.

lation, each of said units beingprovided with 'a continuous serpentine passageway and conduits connecting the passageways of the respective units.

machines, comprising aseriesof individually and fa at top plate secured together to pro- .65 vide a continuous serpentine Huid Atight pris- 4.- An' expander'element v for' refrigigerating Y space "substantie sa eway between said plates, means for maintainin said units 1n spacedrelation comprisprovided i between- -the' -respective heat exchange units.

' 5. An expander element for 'refrigerating si e and end plates, rigidlyconnected to V said units,-whe reby an ice making chamber 1s machines, comprising vupper and lower heat i exchange units, each of said units consisting of a bottom plate formed with a continuous serpentine groove and a flat top plate secured together, vertically. arranged back and side plates interposed between said .units for maintaining the heat exchange units in spaced relation and rigidly connected thereto and providing. a substantially closed in ice making compartment between said units for receiving a number of ice pans, anda closure for the front of said compartment.`

6. '.A n expander element-for refrigeratin'g machines, comprisingv a 'series .of heatl ex .change units superimposed one upon theother f .1n spaced relation, each of said units consisting of a'grooved late and a flat plate secured .together to provide a continuous 'serpentine Huid ti ht passageway between said plates, means or rigidly maintaining said units in spaced relation, irieans for admitting a refrigerant to the uppermost unit, lmeans for discharging the refrigerant gas from the lowermostunit and communicating conduits between 'the successive units.

7.- An 'expander element for refrigerating machines, vcomprising a series of heat exchange units superimposed one upon' the other in spaced relation, each of said unts'consisting of a groovedfbottom' plate and a iat Ytop plate secured together to provide a continuous serpentine iuid tight passageway between said plates, means'for. rigidly maintaining said'units in spaced-relation comprising side and end plates,fwhereby` an ice making chainber is provided between the respective heat exchange units and'means for connecting 4the passa eways of the respective units. n

8. n expander element for refrlgerating machines, comprising 'a series of heat exchange units rigidly connected one to another in spaced relation, eachof said units consisting 'of a grooved plate and a'at plate A3. An expander, or refrigerating element, -comprising a series of individually formed substantially dat plate-like heat exchange units rigidly connected together in spaced resecured toget pentine -iui plates and means for connecting the passageways of the respective units.

" 49. An expander r refrigerating. element,

voo mprisin a series .of individually formed er to provide a continuous sersubstantia ly plate likeheat exchange units,- each'of saidG- units being provided with a con. n .tinuous serpentine passageway, means .'for .125

elation and means for connecting the tight .passageway between said.

iso

units, each of said units being provided -ivith acontinuous serpentine passageway,v means for rigidly connecting said units together 1n .spaced relation and conduits for connecting 1n series`the` units. v 4

11. An expander or refrigerating element, comprising 'a series'of individually formed passageways of the respective substantially plate/like heat exchange units superimposed one upon the other', each of said umts 'being provided with a continuous ser pentine passageway, means for rigidly oonnecting said units together in spaced relation and means for connecting in series the passageways of the respective units, said first mentioned means being separate and distinct from said last mentioned means.

In testimony whereof We affix our signa' tures.

ABRAHAM J. KUSEL. GEORGE W. GAIL. 

